Amari Okeru Kiregire
by BlueGreenGrey
Summary: [Rest In Pieces]HieiBotan oneshot... One simple question can lead to alot of things... Insults, injuries, silences, relief, fear, and love. This is just Botan's standing on all of those subjects...Don't like, don't read...


Amari Okeru Kiregire

Disclaimer: If I owned it then there'd be an American name on it! I don't own 'Rest in Pieces' either… Saliva does…

Notes/Warnings: This is a HieiBotan one-shot! You have been forewarned, advance with caution and an open mind. On a different note, Kuwabara fans be warned, I say some mean stuff to him in this fic. On with the story!  
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Botan's POV  
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I never would have suspected that through all of his glares and hate-filled comments, that he could be a romantic, gentle, and caring person. Never did I even suspect that my curiosity of him could evolve into something so deep that he filled my thoughts every moment, waking or sleeping.

It was strange, my curiosity. I always knew that there was a different question laced throughout my inquiry that I so often had plagued him with, but I always dismissed my slight anxiety whenever I went to ask him.

Okay, maybe not a _slight_ anxiety, I usually felt like the bottom of my stomach had dropped out. Still, every time I met his intense gaze, even for the briefest of looks, a new feeling flared within me, even when we fought.  
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Flashback - Still Botan's POV  
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As our banter continued I could see that we were getting nowhere, as we were standing in the path with our faces red from yelling. Yusuke, Keiko, Kuwabara, and Kurama had already given up on trying to convince us to move along, and had continued on up the path to Genkai's Temple.

This is the third time today that he and I have fought, and my disheveled appearance was all I had to show from my blazing rows with the hi koorime. Then I noticed that we were standing quite closely in an attempt to further intimidate the other.

I'm the one that's losing this argument, but I can't help but lash out at the amusement that clearly shines in his fierce, crimson gaze. He finds it humorous that I respond so quickly to his insults and scathing tone! I find it amusing that his eyes widen a fraction when I stand up for myself. It seems as if he expected me to take his lashing words and avoid him for the rest of the mission. Ha! That'll be the day Kuwabara becomes a nuclear physicist!

It's just the way he always picks a fight with me that is so irksome. I used to fear him…_Okay_, I used to be terrorized by the mere sight of him, but that's not the point. The point is that, with all of his threats, his insults, and his piercing glares that he sends to me, they all fall dead to the ground. Never once has Hiei fulfilled his terrible promises.

This is exactly what I am going to ask him about today…

I stopped at the base of the tree he was resting in, cautiously peering up into the leaves, trying to find my elusive feuding partner in our waltz of anger. "Looking for me, baka kato onna?" a deep, masculine voice said behind me.

I spun around, startled, and tripped over the hem of my kimono, falling toward the ground in the process. I closed my amethyst eyes tightly as I fell toward a bruise and possible concussion. I would have hit the ground, too, had not a pair of strong arms wrapped securely around my waist.

I glanced hesitantly at Hiei, my reluctant savior, and quickly looked away, feeling his breath roll lightly across my face. Hiei grunted and set me up straight, causing me to look up at him. Yes, up. Hiei has grown taller than I over the years I've known him, and this has helped him with his intimidation quite well.

I became infuriated at the smirk that wormed its way onto Hiei's face, and, in an attempt to banish his smug look, glared darkly as we locked gazes.

"Is this any way to treat an innocent bystander that saved you from brain trauma?" he asked cheekily. I almost laughed. _Him_, 'innocent'? Yeah, Yusuke will give up brawling in the alleyways of Ningenkai when Hiei becomes an innocent.

I smiled widely, something that I was sure would annoy him, and responded, "Domo arigatou, my all-powerful savoir! Nanitozo, Hiei-sama, tell a lowly servant how she may repay you?" also adding an elaborate, and very low, bow afterwards.

I snuck a glance at Hiei's irritated expression, and took delight in catching the master of sarcasm off guard. My glee was short-lived, however, when he smirked and retorted, "Lowly baka kato onna, you can start by being more careful. I cannot always be around to catch you when you're as clumsy as you usually are. Also, your head is to always be below mine."

Ah, another poke at my smaller stature today. Leave it to Hiei to express concern and insult you at the same time. I'm beginning to think that coming here may have been an itsu, and the laughing amusement in his blood-red orbs that express so little proves my intuition right. I can practically see his head slowly inflating from my sarcastic ego boost.

I roll my eyes toward the heavens, crossing my arms in front of me as I wait for Hiei's next demand. "Another thing," speak of the akuma, here it comes now, "You are to never wake me up again. Got that, baka kato onna?"

I mock-bowed again, waving my hand with a flourish, "Of course, Hiei-sama, I shall do whatever you wish!" I said sarcastically, adding silently _'Yeah, when Koenma gives up his damn binky…'_

I stood up to find Hiei's face becoming flushed, but not from embarrassment, from anger. Now why would he be angry with me? Oh, I see, his Jagan is glowing. He must have read my mind. Ooh, look! You can practically see his ego deflating!

Hiei narrowed his eyes as his temper slowly faded away, he took a step toward me and growled when I made no move to step away. Two quick steps later and he had pinned me against the tree that he had been resting in earlier. His arms were on either side of my face, preventing my escape, and his hands clutched my wrists underneath those arms, only further limiting my movement.

His hot breath tickled my ear and caused my stomach to fill with lead, as he whispered heatedly, "_Fear_ me, shimatta!" I looked him straight in the eyes, matching his glare with one of my own. "Hiei, I stopped fearing you a long time ago."

This, of course, was a lie. I had only stopped being terrified of the demon a short time ago. Hiei, however took no notice of my fib, too astonished that I had the grit to say it to his face. Then a frown replaced his open mouth, "You'll pay for that, baka-"

"We're leaving now, so could you two please wrap up your lover's quarrel? Grandma's going to be pissed if we're late!" Yusuke shouted from their camp, "We still have to check in with Koenma, and we can't do that if you're 'preoccupying' the only member of our group that can summon a portal, Hiei." He added, in slightly quieter yell. It didn't matter if it was quiet or not, Yusuke got his point across, and Hiei leapt off of me as if I had spontaneously burst into flame.

"We'll continue this later, onna…" Hiei said with a cold glare aiming daggers at my heart, as he began to walk away. "We may argue later, but we won't be continuing this, only putting it off." Oh my Kami-sama! Did I say that out loud!

Judging by Hiei's twitching eye, I think I did. When did I become so foolishly bold? Just as he began to advance, once more, on me, Yusuke called us again, "Hurry up, would you? You two are slower physically than Kuwabara is mentally!"

Hiei just stopped in front of me and whispered dangerously, "Just _what_ do you mean by that, baka kato onna?" I smirked and replied, quite sweetly I might add, "You have never caused me harm before, nor given me any worry that you would do so." Then I frowned, "May I ask why?"

Hiei's face flushed once again, from sheer frustration this time, but he simply stuffed his hands in the pockets of his baggy, black jeans. Turning around with a "Hn…" Hiei walked back towards camp, leaving me feeling insignificant behind him. I glared and started after him, eager to get back to Yusuke so I could hit him with my metal baseball bat. Hiei smirked when I did, but avoided my gaze afterwards.

For an entire week we were silent, never talking to each other, and only interacting briefly when it was necessary. It became very disconcerting. Yukina, when we both happened to stop by in succession of each other, looked between us both confusedly, which probably became tiring as we each sat on either side of her. It was during one of these 'coincidental' visits that we finally spoke to each other again.

Yukina, as usual, sat between us on the battered couch that Yusuke had given to Genkai, trying to start intelligent conversation that forced us to say more than five syllables to each other. That, of course, didn't work. Hiei was to stubborn to speak to me, and I was still mad that he hadn't answered my question.

Yukina, finally getting frustrated with her nearly silent 'company', got off of the couch, excusing herself to kitchen with a small murmur of, "If you two feel like talking to each other than I'll be making some tea."

Now, this couch is fairly small, so when Yukina was sitting there, Hiei and I both sat quite close to her. Now that Yukina had moved away, Hiei and I sat closer than we would have really wanted to had we been given a choice. I cleared my throat nonchalantly, trying to goad Hiei into starting a discussion, suggesting that we go help Yukina, or giving me an answer as to why his promised torture had not been administered. Whichever happened to strike his fancy first.

Did Hiei get the hint? No he didn't. He just sat the with his emotionless expression, staring out the window at the dark mori outside. I sighed heavily and took the initiative, "You still haven't answered my question, Hiei."

The demon grunted and said, "Hn. I don't feel the need to answer such a tawainai question. Especially when it spews forth from the lips of an all-too cheery, and much too bold, baka kato onna."

I smirked a very Hiei-like smirk at his 'insults', "I'll get an answer out of you eventually, Hiei, and you could just save yourself the annoyance and tell me why now." Hiei then stood up and began to walk toward the kitchen, but stopped and turned around halfway. "Hn…Okuu, baka kato onna…"

Then he smirked as I leapt off of the couch to follow him into the kitchen area. I was glad that we could speak normally once again, even Yukina was happy to see us argue. The rest of the Reikai Tantei were relieved that we were ourselves again, but Yusuke was wary of two stabbing glares being sent towards him for that week.

The next week, however, I began to miss our silence. Hiei began to pick fun at me more often than usual, but every time I retorted with an insult, he would slyly one-up that insult until we were once again engaged in a verbal fistfight that would have gone farther had the other members of our group not interfered, Kurama talking idly with Hiei, and Keiko trying to cheer me up.

Finally another mission had come, and Hiei and I returned to our normal routine of a meaningless trading of insults. Yusuke's spirit gun made short work of the offending demon, and we had all sat down to rest and heal all of the wounds that anyone happened to receive. Oh, wait. _I_ would heal all of their wounds and nearly collapse from exhaustion afterwards.

After my white magic flowed along their skin, sewing up their wounds with only faint scars left behind, Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara all thanked me and began gloating about their victory. Well, Yusuke and Kuwabara did anyway, Kurama just sat there with an amused smile.

I went off to find Hiei, who was, no doubt, in a comfortable tree by now. Ah, there he is! I look up at a black figure nestled into the bark that he lay upon, almost as if the tree were cradling him. He must be asleep I'll just come back later.

"What do you want, okuu, baka kato onna?" he said irately, clearly tired. I looked back up into the tree, "Come down from there, Hiei, so I can heal you."

"Hn. Go heal the kitsune, or one of the bakas." He said with a grunt. I frowned, "I already healed them. What's your argument now?" He grunted again, "Hn. That I'm fine and do not need healed. Now go away and let me rest!"

I materialized my oar and floated up to where Hiei had his arms wrapped around his stomach, there was blood staining his cloak and it was not someone else's. I gasped, "Hiei, you're seriously injured! Now move your arms!" Hiei growled at me, struggling to keep his arms where they were, stemming the blood flow, "It's nothing I can't handle. I've had worse injuries and lived to tell about it. Now leave me to rest or I'll never heal, okuu, baka kato onna!"

I felt my cheeks dampen as tears rolled out of my eyes. With a pleading look at Hiei, I quickly wiped them away, "N-nanitozo, Hiei…Just let m-me heal it enough to stop the b-bleeding…Nanitozo…" I saw his eyes soften slightly, before he removed his arms with a hiss of pain, taking off his shirt so could heal his well-chiseled torso.

My tears immediately stopped and I pressed light fingers over the gaping wound. It was horrible. That demon must have pushed his sword all the way through Hiei judging from the sticky substance on the back of his shirt. I looked up at Hiei, who had his eyes closed in contentment, letting my waves of whit magic pulse through his body, evaporating all of his pain.

I pushed more magic into him, watching as the wound healed completely, and Hiei's serene look turned to one of surprise. He grabbed my wrist before I could make the scar fade, and forced me to look at him with a hand gently placed on my chin. I blushed slightly, hoping he wouldn't notice because it was dark out.

"You're about to collapse. Go and get some rest, baka onna, I'll be fine now…" I nodded numbly, barely feeling my movements as I floated toward the dirt on my oar. "Onna…" I looked up to find Hiei peering down at me thoughtfully, "Hn. Arigatou, onna…"

The new feeling flared inside of me as I smiled at Hiei, who simply stared back, and said, "Okuu, baka kato onna… I haven't harmed you because the toddler would have me thrown into Reikai Prison for a millennia, and that's why I'm being civil right now.." The butterflies increased tenfold as I walked nearer to the group. There was something more to his answer… Oh well, I'll pester him about it after I've rested.

Two days later the members of the Reikai Tantei, myself included, got a week long vacation restricted to Ningenkai. Restricted meaning that Hiei couldn't go and blow off steam in Makai.

This was the perfect chance to get a straight and honest answer out of Hiei to satisfy my curiosity and this strange urging to see him, just to make sure he's okay. Killing two birds with one stone.

I walked up to _his_ tree in the park near Kurama's home, he glanced down, but ignored me and continued to 'sleep'. "Hiei, I know you're awake. Now come down so I don't have to crane my neck to see you."

"Hn. You don't have to see me to know that I'm listening…" Whoa…That was an entirely different answer than I expected. Well, of course, my expected sentence had a 'Hn…' in it, but he _actually_ sounded like he cared. _'Like he did two days ago…'_ I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Okay, back to the matter at hand.

"Hiei, why haven't you killed me yet?" That got Hiei's attention, he flitted down and stopped in front of me, looking quite distressed. "I could never…_ Kill_ you, onna… I couldn't even harm you, you frighten me so much…"

_Look at me, my depth perception must be off again  
_'_Cause this hurts deeper than I thought it did  
It has not healed with time  
It just shot down my spine  
You look so beautiful tonight  
Reminds me how you laid us down  
And gently smiled  
Before you destroyed my life_

My eyes widened at Hiei's emotional outburst. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the sky has fallen, Hell has frozen over, and pigs are flying into various persons' heads, because Hiei Jaganshi, the 'Forbidden Child' and 'Master of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame', has had an emotional outburst over _me_.

_Would you find it in your heart  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces  
(Let me rest in pieces)  
Would you find it in your heart  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces  
(Let me rest in pieces)_

"Ever since I first saw you with the detective, I've been experiencing so many new things that I didn't feel. New sensations that I had never even _dreamed_ of having before. I feel a pain greater than the one you healed two days ago, and it's wonderful, but it's horrible at the same time." Hiei slowly whispered, looking into my eyes as he shook with fear. Fear of what I'm not quite sure, but if what I feel inside is the same as what he feels, then I'm sure that I fear the same thing.

_Look at me, my depth perception must be off again  
You got much closer than I thought you did  
I am in your reach  
You held me in your hands_

Hiei cautiously reached for my hand, clasping it with his tenderly. He trembled, but regained his composure as he began talking more confidently, "For awhile, I just wanted the pain to stop, for the image of you cheering Yusuke on to be exiled from my mind, for my every thought to consist of anything _other than_ you. Then you would heal me after our battles, and all I wanted to do was remain in a constant state of _sheer bliss_ with your white magic easing my pain."

_Would you find it in your heart  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces  
(Let me rest in pieces)  
Would you find it in your heart  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces  
(Let me rest in pieces)_

Hiei boldly pulled me close to him and wrapped his arms cautiously around my shoulders, "All I wanted to do was to hold you, just like this… Just to have you in my arms. All of my threats were empty… So, _so empty_… You frightened me so much that I tried to push away your kindness and friendship with insults… Terrible insults that I can never be forgiven for… And when I pushed you away, I felt like I was drowning slowly…"

_Would you find it in your heart  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces  
(Let me rest in pieces)  
Would you find it in your heart  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces  
(Let me rest in pieces)_

"I couldn't be around you because I felt like my stomach were filled with lead, and I couldn't breath when I looked at you. Everything about you is what I used to despise and shun, now it's all I crave… As long as you are the one who gives it to me... When we're fighting demons in Makai (the Demon World) I can't focus on anything but you, and because of that, my reactions are limited, and I become injured. I always try to hide my wounds, and you always find them.

_Would you find it in your heart  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces  
(Let me rest in pieces)  
Would you find it in your heart  
To make this go away  
And let me rest in pieces  
(Let me rest in pieces)_

"I try to tell you not to over-exhaust your spirit energy, and I can never do it right. You always heal me to the extent of your life-force, and I cannot say words to show my appreciation for one as beautiful as you… The undeniable truth that I've been hiding from you is… That I…Aishiteru, Botan, and I just want to see you happy, and if I'm not in that picture than I won't be in a picture at all…" My eyes widened at Hiei's moving confession. It was then that I knew what I had feared for the longest time as I looked at Hiei. It was unrequited love… Now there is no worry…

_Would you find it in your heart  
(Would you find it in your heart)  
Would you let me rest in pieces  
(Would you let me rest in pieces)  
Would you find it in your heart  
(Would you find it in your heart)  
Would you let me rest in pieces  
(Would you let me rest in pieces)_

"There will never be any picture in my life that doesn't involve you, Hiei… Aishiteru yo… We won't be in pain anymore…" I whispered, just before our lips connected and Hiei became the only image in my head…

_Would you find it in your heart  
(Would you find it in your heart)  
Would you let me rest in pieces  
(Would you let me rest in pieces)  
Would you find it in your heart  
(Would you find it in your heart)  
Would you let me rest in pieces  
(Would you let me rest in pieces)  
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For the conveinience of my readers, and due to many reviews, I have taken the author's notes from the story and put the translations here!

**Japanese translations:  
**amari - rest  
okeru - in  
kiregire - pieces  
hi koorime - fire/ice demon  
baka kato onna - idiot ferry woman  
kimono - a traditional Japanese-style robe that is worn by both males and females  
Ningenkai - the human world  
domo arigatou - thank you very much  
nanitozo - please  
itsu - mistake  
akuma - devil  
Jagan - evil eye  
shimatta - damn it  
Kami-sama - God  
mori - forest  
tawainai - silly  
okku - annoying  
kitsune - fox  
arigatou - thank you  
Reikai - the spirit world  
Reikai Tantei - Spirit Detectives  
Makai - the demon world  
aishiteru - I love you  
aishiteru yo - I love you too

How did you like it? Did you laugh? Cry? Scream in anger and frustration! It's 2:06 am and I'm going to bed… Read, review, yadda yadda yadda…


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